AUGUST 2011 $4.99

VOL 2 / ISSUE 2

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Get Your Tickets Now!

The 2011

Premier Players of College Football

Charitable Awards Dinner

Co- Hosted By

News Channel 8 Morning Anchor Rod Carter& 10 News Sports Anchor Dave Wirth

6-9 p.m.

Friday, January 13th, 2012

Embassy Suites Tampa - USF, 3705 Spectrum Blvd., Tampa, Florida, 33612

For More Information Or To Purchase Tickets

Visit www.premierplayers.com Or Call 813-833-3495

Features & Departments

PUBLISHING CEO & PUBLISHER

Carnell Moore

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Steve Wright Marc Jenkins

Carnell Moore Barry Brudny, Players’ Bios

CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER Carnell Moore Clarisa Rosianu

For advertising information e-mail:

Advertise@premierplayers.com

To submit editorials & ideas e-mail: editor@premierplayers.com or visit

www.premierplayers.com

Write to us at: P.O. Box 341064, Tampa, FL 33694-1064

Call us at:

800-470-0250

PHOTO CREDITS AP Photos, Cover

Kelly Kline, p5, AP Photos, pp6, 8, 9, 12, 13

Carlos Osorio, p13 Cal Sports Media, p15

Tony Avelar, p16 AP Photos, pp20, 21

Jerry Larson, p22 Tony Dejak, p24 Dean Hare, p26

Content Disclaimer & Use The opinions expressed in Premier Players

Magazine and on Premier Players Online do

not necessarily reflect those of the editor,

publishers and or their agents. For use of any

material used in Premier Players Magazine or

on Premier Players Online, please contact the

publisher at 813-833-3495.

Robert Griffin III, of Baylor University, holds the Heisman Trophy award after being named the winner, Dec. 10, 2011, in New York. He is also a finalist for The 2011 Premier

Player of College Football Trophy. See page 8..

6

8

12

20

24

26

What Is The Premier Player Award?

About The Final Five Candidates

A Recap of The 2011 Football Season

NCAA Basketball: Our Predictions

The “Decision” That Helped Kids

Player’s Ink

PREMIER PLAYERS 5

PREMIER PLAYERS 6

PREMIER PLAYERS 7

College football, or any sport for that matter, would

not bring excitement to millions of people each year if it

wasn't for the fans. Yet, when it came to determining the

best college football player in the nation, the fans were

mostly left out of the selection process - until now.

The Premier Player of College Football trophy is an

award presented to the athlete the fans voted for as the best

player in NCAA college football. A poll is released at the

beginning of the college football season with 20 of the best

players for fans to follow. In mid October, five more great

performing players are added to the poll. Fans then have

until the last conference championship game to cast their

initial votes for deciding The Premier Player of College

Football.

The five athletes with the most votes will be announced

in early December, and invited to The Premier Players of

College Football charitable awards dinner. Simultaneous,

another poll begins with just those five players on the ballot

that remains open until the day before the awards dinner.

On January 13, 2012, the recipient of The Premier Player

of College Football award will be revealed at the charitable

dinner starting at 6 p.m. at Embassy Suites USF/Busch

Gardens.

"Fans are such a big part of the games, so we wanted to

come up with an award that they can be a big part of too,"

said Carnell Moore, CEO of Premier Players. "All the

athletes on the list are Premier Players, but we will let the

fans decide who gets the trophy.”

The Premier Players Trophy is crafted by MTM

Recognition, a leader in the design and manufacturing of

jewelry, medals, and awards for world class events

including the Olympics, Super Bowl, World Series and

NCAA Championships.

The late NFL & Collegiate Hall of Famer Lee Roy

Selmon, the first advisory board member, viewed the

Premier Player award as a great voice for college football

fans, and saw The Premier Players of College Football

charitable awards dinner as a signature event that can

showcase Tampa, provide fun for fans, recognize premier

athletes, and help many children. Today, his son Lee Roy

Selmon Jr. is helping that vision of helping kids come true

through The Premier Players Sports Foundation

According to reports, there are more than 140,000,000

orphans in the world. Many of them can only dream about

doing what most of us may do on a daily basis: Play

Sports. The charitable award dinners will help many of

them live this dream now. A dream that can provide fun

and laughter, the physical fitness that can improve their

athletic abilities and self-esteem, and a chance at finding a

forever coach, mentor or family.

The Premier Players Sports Foundation is a 501c(3)

nonprofit company based in Tampa, FL. The foundation

recognizes sports can be a game-changer in a child's life

because it teaches team work, physical fitness, leadership,

relationship building and self confidence. That's why its

mission is to provide orphanages around the world with

sports balls, apparel and league sponsorships to help their

kids get into the games.

Be a team player and help make a difference in the lives

of millions of children. You can make a tax-deductible

donation to:

Premier Players Sports Foundation

P.O. Box 341064

Tampa, FL 33694-1064

Proceeds from The 2011 Premier Players of College

Football charitable awards dinner will benefit the Premier

Players Sports Foundation, The Juvenile Diabetes Research

Foundation, PlaySmart, and SCORE International

Foundation. Call 800-470-0250 with any questions.

“Fans are such a big

part of the games, so we

wanted to come up with

an award that they can be

a big part of too,”"

PREMIER PLAYERS 8

Th

e F

inal Fiv

e

An

Overvie

w o

f Each

Pla

yer’s

Accom

pli

sh

men

ts T

his

Seaso

n

Case Keenum

6’-2” / 210

Senior, Quarterback

University of Houston Cougars

We are always uplifted by the comeback stories of sports. I would say Keenum fits the mold perfectly. Coming into his sixth year of eligibility due to his two ACL injuries, many were unsure how Keenum would perform. To say he dazzled would be an understatement. He rewrote the book, the record book that is. From total offense, to passing yards, to passing touchdowns, to career completions, Keenum broke them all and sealed his place in college football history. Keenum led his team to an 11-0 start to the season, which is the best start in Houston history. His gunslinger mentality and great arm led Houston to the top passing offense and scoring offense in college football as he became the first player in college football history to pass for 5,000 yards in three different seasons. While Keenum’s eligibility may be up at season’s end, his presence and legend will live on long after. After all, we all love a good comeback story. The guy who came back from an almost career ending injury to rewrite college football history, has a nice ring to it.

Andrew Luck

6’-4” / 235

Senior, Quarterback

Stanford University Cardinal

While the Andrew Luck sweepstakes in the NFL may rage on, let’s take a step back and reflect on Luck’s season at Stanford. Before its inception, this season was criticized as a mistake by Luck. He chose to skip the NFL draft and millions of dollars for a chance to take Stanford to heights it has never been before. He could hurt his draft stock by returning; he may get injured. Well, as the season winds down, it appears safe to say that neither of those happened. Luck actually outperformed his sophomore season by throwing for more touchdowns and more yards. He also made his fair share of history at Stanford this year, becoming the career leader in passing touchdowns, total offense, passer efficiency, completion percentage, and wins by a starting quarterback just to list a few. While this season may not have brought all the glory some may have hoped with Luck’s return, due to his second Heisman runner-up and another loss to Oregon, it did serve to cement Luck’s legacy at Stanford as arguably its best ever quarterback. Next year for Andrew holds the NFL, where he is widely proclaimed as the best quarterback prospect since another Stanford great, John Elway.

PREMIER PLAYERS 9

Robert Griffin III

6’-2” / 220

Junior, Quarterback

Baylor University Bears

What more can we add to the glamor and living legend that is RG3? Well, to recap this year, he took a team from Waco, TX, and led them to a top 15 national ranking, threw for almost 4,000 passing yards while running for over 600 more, and broke the NCAA passer rater record. However, things weren’t always easy for this star. Born Feb. 12, 1990, in Okinawa, Japan, Griffin is the child of two military parents and had suffered two major injuries earlier in his college career. Those injuries and Griffin’s sometimes inconsistent play made most people write off Baylor before the season began and, after losing three of four games in October, most figured them to be right. Griffin proved them all wrong. In a game against Oklahoma, Griffin took the field with less than a minute left. His team had just given up the lead and the momentum appeared to turn. However, with under 15 seconds left, Griffin lined up at the Oklahoma 34, faked right, ran left, and then lofted a perfect pass to the right corner of the endzone—Touchdown! That has been what makes Griffin so great all year. He performs the impossible with surprisingly simple ease. Game in, game out, he thrives and gets better.

Tyrann Mathieu

5’-9” / 170

Sophomore, Cornerback

Louisiana State Univ. Tigers

Coming into this season, not many people knew Mathieu’s name. Now nbody seems to be able to get enough him. He is just a game changer. He has been called the best player on his LSU team that currently ranks first nationally. It is completely deserved. Mathieu has been flat out electrifying this season. From a defensive touchdown to start the season against Oregon to his punt returns for touchdowns against Arkansas and Georgia, Mathieu is capable of changing a game every time the ball touches his hands. He is a sophomore superstar and has only more to bring to his team. He led his team in tackling this year and managed to bring in two interceptions while opposing teams were constantly plotting ways to keep their plays away from Mathieu. Even with all of their effort, he still reeled in two defensive touchdowns and two punt returns for scores. True to his nickname, the Honey Badger, he gets what he wants and takes no prisoners. He is a special athlete who makes you always believe that he can’t be stopped. Who knows, maybe he’s right.

Trent Richardson

5’-11” / 224

Junior, Running Back

Univ. of Alabama Crimson Tide

Entering this season there were many questions surrounding Richardson. With the departure of former Heisman trophy winner Mark Ingram, would Alabama be able to run as effectively without its overpowering 1-2 punch of Ingram and Richardson? Could Richardson shoulder 20-some carries a game and still excel? Yes, yes, and more yes. He was dazzling to say the least, rushing for over 1500 yards in the season and more than his first two seasons combined. He was a freight train determined to crash into the endzone on every carry. He elevated his team in a season when they desperately needed it. With a more ineffective passing game than in previous years, Alabama had to rely heavily on the run this year and Richardson was up for the challenge. In his game against Ole Miss, Richardson rushed for more yards (183) than Ole Miss gained all game. He topped off this performance with a 76 yard touchdown run where he broke three tackles and left one defender face-planted in the ground. He is a dynamic playmaker and will be missed at Alabama when he moves on to torment the NFL.

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PREMIER PLAYERS 12

By Marc Jenkins The 2011 NCAA Football season was nothing short of spectacular, breathtaking and exhilarating. Each and every week there was something that took place which captivated the entire nation and left every fan anxiously awaiting the next week. Explosive individual efforts, top ranked teams falling left and right to weaker opponents and, of course, the SEC continuing to establish its dominance as the mini-NFL amongst the rest of the nation. Here is a recap of what took place during this tremendous season: You can't begin talking collegiate football unless you start with the mighty LSU Tigers. Again and again, the Tigers proved that they were the best team in the nation as they finished the season undefeated with a 13-0 record and atop of every poll in the nation, including the all important BCS rankings. The Tigers were pretty much uncontested with the exception of their November 5th contest versus the Alabama Crimson Tide in which LSU prevailed 9-6 in a thrilling overtime defensive slobber-knocker. The two teams will meet in a rematch on Monday, January 9th, and this time the stakes will be much higher as the winner of that contest will be named the 2012 BCS National Champion. The Honey Badger Tyrann Mathieu not only proved himself as the Tigers best player but also the premier defensive player in the nation which is why he was selected as one of the five Heisman Trophy finalists. The Alabama Crimson Tide (11-1) are back in the BCS Championship Game again despite losing to the Tigers. Many feel that it would have been a better game if the Oklahoma State Cowboys were chosen to play instead. The Cowboys would have been there if it wasn't for one of the biggest upsets of the year when OSU fell victim to the Iowa State Cyclones back on November 18th in a 37-31 double overtime affair. Had it not been for that single blemish on the Cowboys season then the National Title game would have featured a premium offense (OSU) versus a tremendous defense (LSU). Instead, the Cowboys are set to square off against Andrew Luck and the fourth ranked Stanford Cardinal in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl on January 2nd in what should be an offense lover’s

dream match-up. One of the biggest surprises this season has to be the exceptional play of Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III and his Baylor Bears. RG3 led the Bears to an incredible 9-3 season en route to becoming the school's first Heisman winner, back-to-back Bowl appearances and their first Top 25 finish since 1986. Robert Griffin III led Baylor to impressive victories over TCU (50-48), Oklahoma (45-38) and Texas (48-24) along with making sure that everyone in the nation once again respected this program that was down for a very long time. Another surprise which took place this season was the fact that the Boise State Broncos lost just one single game, by one single point (36-35 to TCU), and finished ranked 7th in the BCS standings, but were not invited to participate in a BCS Bowl or any major Bowl game for that matter. Instead, the Broncos were forced to compete in the MAACO Las Vegas Bowl versus a team that finished 6-6 in Arizona State. That has to be one of the biggest robberies and travesties that have ever occurred in college football. The two most disappointing teams this season has to be the Oklahoma Sooners (who began the season ranked first in both the AP and the coaches poll but lost three games and finished the season 14th in the BCS standings) and the Florida State Seminoles (who began the season ranked fifth in the coaches poll and sixth in the AP but due to four losses didn't even finish amongst the Top 25 in the BCS standings). Both teams were expected to compete for a shot at the BCS title and definitely wind up in a BCS Bowl game, but due to the unfortunate losses which they both took found themselves on the outside of the major games looking in just wondering what if. The Sooners fell victim to Texas Tech (41-38), Baylor (45-38) and their crosstown rivals Oklahoma State (44-10) which has them playing in a pre-New Year's Day Bowl for the first time in a few seasons. The Seminoles took losses from the Sooners (23-13) early in the season and never truly rebounded. After that loss came two more in a row to Clemson (35-30) and Wake Forest (35-30) followed by a late season loss at the hands of Virginia (14-13). While on the topic of disappointments one can't forget to mention Andrew Luck and the fact that he once again was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy. Luck was

2011 RECAP

A Spectacular College Football Season Comes To an End

PREMIER PLAYERS 13

expected to win after coming in second place last season to Cam Newton but unfortunately another quarterback (RG3) stole the trophy away from him by putting together an outstanding season. Luck will more likely still be the number one overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft should he decide to enter. Arguably the most exciting finish of the season came on October 22nd when the Michigan State Spartans defeated the Wisconsin Badgers (37-31) on the final play of the game. That play was an amazing 44-yard Hail Mary pass thrown by Spartan quarterback Kirk Cousins to Keith Nichol

as the final gun sounded. The most exciting highlight of the season has to be Alabama's Trent Richardson's incredible 76-yard touchdown run versus Ole Miss when he broke several would-be defenders ankles en route to his trip to the end-zone. All-in-all it was another tremendous season of college football and it’s sad to see it end, but one thing is for certain, there won't be any lockouts or threat of one for the 2012 campaign so we will be certain to see lots of tremendous action again very soon.

Michigan State quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) celebrates the team's 37-31 win over Wisconsin during an NCAA college football game in East

Lansing, Mich., Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011.

Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns cheerleader dancing after the win during the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl game

between the Ragin Cajuns and the San Diego State University Aztecs at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on December 17,

in New Orleans, LA. Louisiana-Lafayette beat San Diego State, 32-30.

NBA Action Is Back!

The Lockout is over and the players are back on the courts. Here, the Golden State Warriors' Monta Ellis (8) drives to the basket past Chicago Bulls' Luol Deng (9) during an NBA basketball game, Dec. 26, 2011, in Oakland, Calif. Warriors defeated the Bulls 99-91.

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downforce-generating front grilles and two new forged-aluminum wheels. Also new

for 2013 is a 5.8-liter supercharged V8 engine producing 650 horsepower .

PREMIER PLAYERS 20

By Steve Wright Yes, somehow or other it is already that time of the year again. Sure it feels like just a couple of months since those big bad Dukies took down plucky little But ler in the National Title game, but all over the country there have been tip off aplenty as teams vie for early season position. It is time therefore, to look away from the pigskin for five minutes and have a quick glance at who is going to be playing deep into the madness, and who is going to be shattering their slippers early, with our 2012 Contender and Pretender preview. Contender – Duke It may be obvious, and not at all sexy, but come March you can expect Coach K’s bunch to be very much in the reckoning once again. Duke just have that ability to reload that other schools would kill for, and though the blowout loss to Oho State looks bad right now, it may end up being

2012 NCAA College Basketball

Contenders & PretendersContenders & Pretenders

the shot that the Blue Devils need to get in position to win it all again. Pretender – Kansas Something isn’t quite right about KU this year and coach Bill Self is well aware that the Jayhawks need to get better in a hurry if they are to make any noise during March Madness. Self was hurt late with an incoming recruiting class that was decimated by academic ineligibility (Ben McLemore, Jamari Traylor and Braeden Anderson) and as a result KU are finding themselves in the strange position of being undermanned in big games. Loses to Duke and Kentucky are a foreshadow of where this team is heading in 2012. Contender – Ohio State Basically, Jared Sullinger is a monster. He is the kind of player that is completely unplayable when he wants to be (see the win over Duke) and can carry an entire team

Jared Sullinger of Ohio State University

PREMIER PLAYERS 21

on his shoulders all the way to the title. Ohio State’s early season resume is beyond impressive and they have yet to really be challenged in a run of games that includes blow out wins over Duke and Florida. The Buckeyes are many people’s tip to win the whole thing this year and are certainly a contender in 2012. Pretender – Wisconsin Always beware of teams that have a couple of early season losses to other ranked squads. The Badgers have suffered back to back early season defeats to UNC and Marquette and just don’t seem to score the ball enough when it matters. Though Wisconsin does play great defense, the lack of a big time scorer (Jordan Taylor leads the squad at 13 ppg) is going to bite them before the Madness gets into top gear. Contender – Baylor The best team in the Big XII this year may be the Bears of Waco. Unarguably one of the most athletic teams in the nation, Baylor is turning that athleticism into a team that can run the floor on anyone in the country. Baylor also have a rotation that is long enough to disrupt opponents shots and Perry Jones III gives them a 20 ppg scorer for when the games get tougher down the stretch.

Pretender – Memphis In many ways Memphis are the opposite of Wisconsin. The Tigers can score the ball as well as anyone, they are ranked in the top 20 in points per game, but they also have spells where opponents can score in bunches against them. One of the big problems for Memphis is that they just don’t rebound the ball as well as a team with legitimate title hopes needs to. The Tigers rank in the 200s in rebounds per game and as a result give away far too many second chance buckets. Memphis will need to ride the scoring of Will Barton as far as it will take them, but ultimately they will come up short when it matters most. All the teams on our contender and pretender list will win some big games this year. Kansas, for example, was able to muscle up and take down Ohio State (albeit without their best player). The difference between a contender and a pretender however is how they are projected to play when the chips are down in the NCAA Tournament. That is when a squad can etch their names in history and achieve greatness for their school and that is where three teams on our list will trip up, while the other three will shine brightly.

Perry Jones III of Baylor University Seth Curry of Duke University

#1 Baylor Baylor's Brittney Griner (42) shoots against Mississippi Valley State's Khristina Clemons (14) and Alia Frank, right, in the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Dec. 30, 2011, in Waco, Texas. The undefeated Lady Bears are on top of the Coaches and AP Polls.

Miami Heat's LeBRon James waits to be introduced before a ribbon cutting for the new LeBron James Clubhouse in Akron, Ohio. In a gym he played in as a kid, the NBA superstar opened the LeBron James Clubhouse at an Akron Boys & Girls Club, which was renovated with $240,000 he donated through his family foundation. James said he was humbled to be able to help area youth.

“The Decision”

PREMIER PLAYERS 24

PREMIER PLAYERS 25

By Barry Brudny

Don’t judge a King by his Cover. We all bore witness

to the event that will forever be known as “The Decision,”

when Lebron James took his talents to South Beach and

created an uproar that was nearly unprecendented in

NBA history. Cleveland moaned. . . Miami rejoiced. A

king was lost; a dynasty was made.

Ever since that “Decision,” James has been cast off as a

traitor by his home team, and he has earned the scorn of

most NBA critics and fans alike. But does he deserve this?

What did he actually do that merited that scrutiny and

harshness? Nothing.

He simply went to a team that he felt gave him the

best chance to win and, as we saw this past season, he

nearly won it all. Yet, regardless of how basic this idea

“playing to win” seems to most, many still shroud James

in a cloak of evil. They refuse to move past one simple

choice and actually examine the man that made it.

So let’s look at the man, not the Decision, and see

what we find. We start with a hulking figure (6’8” 250

lbs), seemingly unfit for humans, enabling him to just

oversize most defenders and exert his physical dominance

at all facets of the game. His speed doesn’t disappoint

either, allowing him to blaze by defenders and get to the

rim at will.

But looking even deeper, beyond the physical, we find

his personality and his character. What do we discover?

Easiest answer . . . he’s a good person. Thrust early into

his stardom career, James was always expected to carry a

team by himself. Most believed him to carry a team the

same way Kobe tried to carry the Lakers, scoring the most

and winning the game by himself. At times, it looked as if

James did just that, throwing down scoring barrages on

other teams until the idea of winning had escaped from

their minds.

However, James used his teammates as well. He included

spot-up shooters and streaking forwards into his game

plan. It wasn’t about his shot; it was about the best shot

available. He was immediately a star, but never ignored

the ones around him. In fact, in this past year’s NBA Fi-

nals, Lebron hit Chris Bosh with a beautiful behind-the-

back pass that Bosh knocked down with under a minute

left to win the game. He refused to be selfish and possi-

bly lose the game. Winning was simply more important

to him than personal glory.

On top of his abnormal assisting skills as a star, James

also participates in multiple charity events every year.

From charity basketball camps, to events with Jay Z,

James spans the full gamut of charitable options and is

determined to giving back to the community. Heavily

impacted by his own, poor childhood, James has been

consistently dedicated to contributing his efforts to en-

sure better opportunities for children who grow up with

disadvantages in life.

In 2009, he held a charity bike-a-thon with Chris Paul

to raise money for the Martin Luther King “King for Kids”

charity to support the advancement of underprivileged

children’s lifestyles. Even in his seemingly “heinous”

hour, James was giving back to the community. While his

“Decision” may have soured many fans, it also raised

more than $3 million for charity. James used this money

to give more than 1,000 computers to 59 Boys and Girls

Clubs nationwide. That’s right, the man who sat uncom-

fortable in his seat for the entire hour-long phenomenon,

who actually appeared to be bothered to have to make

his choice, is not a bad man at all. He is genuinely a good

guy who has simply been misunderstood. He is a gem to

basketball and to boys and girls across the nation alike.

So the next time you want to write off Lebron – don’t.

He doesn’t deserve the scorn, the dislike. If his most ma-

licious act is leaving one team to play for another one he

more prefers, then we have really lowered our standards.

We always try to elevate these athletes to a higher level

of morality than we do ourselves, but that is not fair. He

is a normal human being and he should be treated as

such.

Many of us would have made the same choice if we were

in his shoes. After all, winning is the highest distinction

there is in sports! So, why should we condemn someone

for wanting what makes him happiest and most success-

ful? I hope he does win next year. After all, a man who

gives back as much as he does, while receiving so little in

return from his “fans” and “supporters,” deserves to be

liberated from that prejudice. Kings need rings after all.

How It Helped Boys & Girls Across The Nation

Player’s Ink

In this photo taken Aug. 7, 2011, Washington State offensive lineman Andrew Roxas sports a Cougar logo tattoo during the fall NCAA college football camp opening practice in Pullman, Wash.

PREMIER PLAYERS 43